45 



Instead of merchants taking soft crabs for Is. per dozen they should give CRABS, 

 the fishers 3s. per dozen to make up for the return of soft crabs. They now 

 give Is. a dozen for hard and soft crabs mixed. 



James Robertson. Has been a fisherman for 20 years. Crabs have not got No decrease. 

 any scarcer. When he first went to sea there were four boats ; none of them fished. 

 This was at Skateraw. Came to Dunbar about 1860, then there were 30 or 40 

 boats ; there is about the same number now. In the summer each boat carries 

 from 100 to 140 creels. They begin to set the creels in March, and take them 

 up in July. A few boats go to the Skerries, only three or four. They fish all the 

 year round. They do not use crabs for bait, and do not break up the small ones 

 for bait. The merchants in the inland towns, such as Leeds, Sheffield, Notting- 

 ham, &c, desire the fishers to send smaller crabs, not large ones. The reason is 

 that people can afford 3d. each better than 6d. apiece for crabs. . In the general 

 run of the season, in the spring, small crabs are full of meat from January 

 to July. Thinks a gauge would not answer because it would lead to disputes, 

 and time would be wasted in measuring the crabs. A good haul would be 30 

 to 40 dozen ; seven to ten kits holding four dozen each. Three years ago there 

 was an excellent season : no diminution in the number of fish. Soft crabs are of Soft. 

 no use, and ought to be put back. Sometimes they are saleable in the market. 



Charles Filleul. Has been a fish curer for 15 years. Since he has been Decreased size. 

 here there are not so many crabs as there were 15 years ago. There might be 

 as many in number, but not so many in bulk. The size has decreased to a 

 great extent. The cause is over-fishing. Formerly there used to be over 70 

 creels per boat. Now there are 150. If there is to be a close time it should be Close time. 

 from August to October, which would save the soft crabs and allow the smaller 

 ones to grow. Any gauge would be awkward when the men were in a hurry, 

 but thinks crabs are far too small. Has heard the expression of " Dunbar 

 cast." If crabs were larger he could afford to give more for them. Has always 

 bought little and big crabs together, but gets more money for the big ones. 

 The gauge might be a hardship for a time, but would eventually benefit both 

 dealers and fishers. Could not say what this gauge should be. 



Lobsters have diminished. Dunbar used to be a famous place for lobsters LOBSTERS 



25 years ago. It is not so now, the ground having been over-fished. A whole 



lobster is 4\ inches in the barrel. A half lobster is 4 inches in the barrel. 

 Gets about equal numbers of both. It would be a benefit in the long run to Q auge 

 return the half lobsters to the sea. Understands there is an Act to make a close r „ 



time from 1st May to 1st August. The town clerk posts this Act. Never 



heard of any prosecution under it. Most undoubtedly soft crabs should be Soft. 

 put back. Says this most advisedly. Fishmongers in town often write to 

 complain of the soft crabs, because they lose their customers by selling inferior 

 articles. 



Alexander Combie. Is 70 years of age, Has fished for crabs for the last 

 50 years. When he was a boy there were three for every one now, and they Decrease. 

 were also larger. They have gradually degenerated. Every year there would be 

 six boats; now there are 30 or 40 boats. The railway came in when he was a 

 boy. Formerly the fishermen did not send away the crabs, but only the claws, 

 which sold in town at 3c?. a dozen. Now they send crabs, claws and all, to 

 London. Thinks that for the sake of future generations soft crabs should be Soft. 

 put back when they are taken. The merchants settle the gauge between them- 

 selves and the fishermen. Has heard of the Act of George II. giving a close LOBSTERS 



time for lobsters in May, June, July, and August, but the Act has never been 



carried out. The ground is the same as it used to be. The crab fishers fish in 



16 to 18 fathoms of water in spring. All little lobsters should be put back, say Gauge. 



under 4 inches in the barrel. This was the former gauge for them. 



W. Hutchinson. Has been in Dunbar 18 years, and has been a fish mer- CRABS 



chant for 15 years. Thinks crabs and lobsters are falling off. If the same 



number of creels were used now as were used 18 years ago, the fishermen could - Decrease ' 

 not get so many fish. Gets most crabs in heavy weather, when the boats can 

 just go out. The crabs are drowned, and the swell washes them up. Soft crabs Soft. 

 should be put back all the year round, and this would ultimately do the fisher- 

 men good. The boats often come in a hurry to catch the train, and mistakes 

 might be made in sorting the crabs to the half or quarter of an inch. There should 

 be a close time in July and August to the middle of September. This close Close time. 

 time would do no harm, because the boats could not go out at that time, and 



